Change - It Doesn't Mean You're A Sell Out

Back Home has had to make some changes that some folks don't understand. I assure you, it's not because we have sold out! Please understand what you're about to read.

Through the years we have been to every size church from 10 people to 20,000 people with no questions asked and we will try to continue to do as much as we can. We have done many things to keep the ministry God has entrusted in our hands going, all the way to second mortgaging our home. No complaining, it's just what we felt we needed to do. God has opened may doors and will continue to do so.

We came to the conclusion a few months back that if we were to continue to travel full time in the ministry that we needed to incorporate some major changes, and we have. This blog is not intended to do anything but just make you think and maybe understand the change.

It's been a long time since we have been with a booking agency but we had to make the move to The Caldwell Agency in Nashville, TN because we needed help and had been praying for someone of Scott's caliber to come along to help us. Our heart has always been and always will be if one or two of our weekend services takes care of our budget needs, we want to go to places that just can't afford to have concerts. Sometimes, we can, sometimes we can't. Since going with the agency we have heard : we are a sell out, we've changed and a few other things. Well, that's just not the case. We have to live just like everyone else.

Let me throw some thoughts to you for a minute. Most groups, not all, will not come to your place of worship unless a contract is signed and a flat is agreed upon - most now days are $3500 to $5500 per service. These are the prices that meets their budgets assuming they have a lot of overhead, such as buses, staff, etc. I understand this more now than what I ever have. Our budget is not as high as others but we do have a budget that we have to meet.

Could you do the following things with your family?

Travel 700 miles, one way, not knowing what you are going to be blessed with from a church you have trusted will meet your needs - to walk away with not enough money to pay your bills and you and your family sleep on the side of the interstate with no funds for hotel?

Get canceled 1 week to 3 days out after planning for months and booking other dates around the date canceled?

Go to a church and no one was there to bless your ministry with the offering and being told the check will be in the mail and it never comes?

We love what we do and these are not complaints, they are just facts and three of several reasons we have gone with an agency. It's always kind of blown my mind that folks that attend churches will pay $75 to $100 for a ticket to see a country music concert and sometimes $25 to $35 to go to a Christian music concert but don't seem to understand they are helping that promotional company comply with a contract from the groups they are seeing. But when the contract agreements on behalf of a group come to a church, we find it wrong....make sense? No it doesn't.

So understand, change is sometimes necessary and not that you have sold out.